Cow “Berta” at Dairy Campus emits less methane, and her calves will too

Wageningen University and Research (WUR) has told RTL Nieuws that by adjusting the breeding of cows, the animals’ methane emissions are estimated to decrease by around 25 percent by 2050. Starting next month, breeding will use cows with a genetic predisposition to emit less of the potent greenhouse gas. The research is being carried out in collaboration with CRV and FrieslandCampina and is co-financed by the Ministry and the Dutch Association of Young Farmers (LVVN).

This development is seen as a major scientific breakthrough that could ultimately benefit the world. According to WUR, the knowledge and opportunities from the Dutch cattle breeding programme could be applied globally.

It is not the only approach researchers are trying to use to reduce methane emissions from livestock. Together with other measures, such as adjusted feed, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving) believes that a one-third reduction per cow may be possible.

Scientists discovered the differences by measuring the air coming from the cow’s mouth. Every time the cow is milked, she puts her head into a feeding station, explains Roel Veerkamp of WUR. At this station, a tube and a device called the “sniffer” continuously measure the air the cow exhales.